REtain is a Salvaged ISBU Camping Cabin

19Sep 2011

King County in Washington has about 26,000 acres of parks and open spaces with trails, trees, and streams. To help people stay overnight in these areas, the county held a design competition — Little Footprint, Big Forest — to create an overnight structure from a surplus, reclaimed, 20-foot shipping container. The winning design was just announced and it comes from none other than HyBrid Architecture, the firm behind the cargo container-based Sunset Idea House 2011.

HyBrid’s design called REtain includes a panelized interior wall system with rigid insulation and a finish of exposed fir. The doors and windows are reclaimed and the cabinets are recycled. A tarp and porch expands the cabin area.

Inside, REtain has queen-sized bunk beds, of which, the top one folds up when not in use. The beds occupy one end of the structure, while the kitchette occupies the other. In the middle, there’s space for a table.

HyBrid Architecture received $ 4,500 for winning the competition. The goal is to build the container cabins in early 2012 and install them in the summer after that. King County Parks is looking for partners to help fund the construction and installation of REtain camping structures.

[+] See other entries in the Little Footprint, Big Forest competition.